LGAQ embraces a defining approach (uh-oh)

Queensland council leaders will gather as one this week to discuss how best to deal with the state government's bullying tactics, says the head of the Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ).  LGAQ executive director Greg Hallam told AAP on Sunday the Bligh Government had treated councils poorly and a recent decision to abandon subsidising local infrastructure and programs would ultimately cost first home buyers.  "They treat councils like they're another department they can control when they want," Mr Hallam said.  "To scrap the infrastructure and subsidy programs means about $5,000 will be added to the cost of a new housing block which means the first home buyers grant will pay this.  There is a lot of concern about what the government has done and their bully-boy tactics."  The two and half day conference will be attended by more than 700 delegates with up to five members from each council across the state attending.

The Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) has set up a fighting fund to pay for publicity campaigns against unpopular state and federal government decisions.  LGAQ president Paul Bell told the lobby group's annual conference in Brisbane that $600,000 has been put towards the fund.  ouncillor Bell says it will be topped up each year.  "That fund will be a million dollar fund very quickly," he said.   "It'll be a fund that will be there to fight the big issues of councils and communities that need to be taken into the public stage at any time we feel significant issues are being imposed on local governments and on local communities."

The LGAQ says this year's conference is one of the most significant of the past few decades. LGAQ executive director Greg Hallam says there will also be a debate about whether a moratorium on sacking staff from amalgamated councils should be lifted before the agreed timeframe of 2011. He says councils are increasingly looking to the Commonwealth for financial assistance in the wake of State Government funding changes. "It'll be a defining conference in terms of there'll be a mood shift in the conference one way or another about what the new world order looks like," he said.